Impact’s four-game win streak to be tested by first-place Toronto FC

“After that, it’s not our concern whether it’s Toronto or another team or where they’re placed in the standings.”

While first-place Toronto is on pace for the best record in MLS history, the Impact have taken advantage of a six-game stretch that includes five at home by putting together four wins in a row for the first time since 2013. They have scored three goals in three consecutive games for the first time since they joined MLS in 2012.

The wins vaulted the Impact into sixth place, the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, for the first time this season, but it remains a tight battle with Columbus and Atlanta.

Taking points against Toronto and in another home game Sept. 2 over Chicago could solidify their position heading into the final eight games of the regular season.

“There will definitely be a playoff atmosphere for us and a mentality where we want to beat the best team in the league,” said coach Mauro Biello. “It’s important to be focused.

“They feel they can beat anybody right now. They’re going into difficult places and getting results, like this past week in Chicago (a 3-1 TFC win). It’ll be a big test for us. It’ll be a chance for us to measure ourselves against them, but at the same time we want to continue on this sequence and on getting results for our team.”

Beating Toronto, which took a 14-3-8 record into a Wednesday night match against Philadelphia, is a tall order. But the Impact have done well against the Reds on home turf.

When TFC reached the playoffs for the first time in 2015, they were beaten 3-0 at Saputo Stadium. When the Impact faced them in last year’s conference final, Montreal won 3-2 at home, then lost the two-game aggregate goals series in overtime in Toronto. TFC also took the Canadian cup series in June, drawing 1-1 in Montreal before winning 2-1 at home.

The Impact’s 3-1 victory over Salt Lake on Saturday gave them three wins in an eight-day stretch. This time, Toronto will be playing a third game in eight days.

And the Impact look to be getting their game together after struggling through the first half of the season. It helps that they are healthy, missing only left back Ambroise Oyongo who suffered a season-ending knee injury in June.

Star midfielder Ignacio Piatti, the MLS player of the week, appears to be back to full speed after an adductor problem and has two goals in each of his last two games. That put the Argentine among the league leaders with 14 goals in 19 games. And Piatti’s return to form gives playmaker Blerim Dzemaili, a designated player acquired in May, an expert accomplice on attack.

Recent pickup Samuel Piette has given the club the energy, youth and skill it needed in the defensive midfield.

“In the first part of the season, there were some good performances that could have gone our way and put us in a better position, but I think the fact that we have everybody healthy and everybody pushing each other are important reasons (for the streak),” said Biello. “And the addition of some players.

“Piette has done a good job. (Defender) Deian Boldor has brought more intensity to training. Defensively, we’ve been able to avoid mistakes we’ve made in the past. And with the results comes the confidence. Then you start the see the team we think we can be.”

Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Impact’s four-game win streak to be tested by first-place Toronto FC

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